Santa Claus: When I first flew across the Alps I had never seen anything so amazing
Santa Claus shares stories and experiences from his many years of travels
For someone who travels the entire world in a single night, Santa Claus has no shortage of magical memories. This year, he’s busier than ever as he prepares to meet families at Elf Town, in Dublin.Â
With real reindeer, hand-crafted sets, Jack Frost’s real Ice House, and a fully personalised journey for each child, Santa says it’s the closest thing to visiting the North Pole itself.Â
Here, he shares his favourite travel memories, the snow-capped places that surprised him most, and what he and Mrs Claus still have on their bucket list.
My favourite childhood memory is as a little child, we used to go away to a cabin in the woods. We would make snowmen, have snowball fights, make snow angels, and eat some of the amazing food that filled the whole cabin with the smell of freshly-baked bread. It was such a lovely memory.
One of my most memorable trips was several years ago. Mrs Claus and I decided to spoil all of the elves for working so hard making all of the toys, so we took them to see the beach and the ocean for the very first time in Portugal. They ran, swam and built sandcastles. It was such a quick but amazing experience for them, because they never had that opportunity. They loved it, but they were ready to get back to work making all of the toys.
I remember the very first time, so many years ago, when I came across the Swiss Alps and how big and how beautiful those mountains were. I had never seen anything so amazing in all of my journeys. Every time I get back to fly over Switzerland, I always remember that first time and seeing those beautiful mountains with all the trees and the wildlife.
Whenever I travel around, my favourite cities are when I fly in to deliver toys, like Hong Kong, Bangkok, New York and London. All of the beautiful lights remind me of the twinkling lights on the Christmas tree, and it brings me such great joy to see all of the different lights around these cities. And of course, Cork is one of my favourites too.
I haven’t stayed in them, but sometimes boys and girls go on holiday for Christmas, so I deliver presents to some amazing hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, and hostels. I remember a hotel in Africa where I delivered to a little boy and girl, and there were elephants that came right up to the room. I could see the elephants watching as I delivered the toys, giving their hearty trunk of approval. It was so magical.
As we fly on the sleigh over these amazing countries, the food aromas come up and always make me and my reindeer peckish! And the cookies and treats we get from the boys and girls are amazing — some from India, some from Asia, some from Dublin. I don’t think I could pick a favourite, because what the boys and girls leave for me are special, chosen and made with love, and I love each one. The reindeer appreciate their snacks too: carrots and reindeer mix keep them strong for the journey.
Normally, I’m working really hard in Santa’s workshop, but when I travel, I usually always bring my head elf with me – and Mrs Claus comes along sometimes too. We always talk about the boys and girls that we’re going to be delivering presents to next and plan the exciting toys and surprises we're going to make.
I’ve travelled all around the world and seen so many amazing places, but Mrs Claus has told me she always wanted to go swimming on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. So that is definitely on Santa’s bucket list — to take Mrs Claus so she can snorkel, swim and see the beautiful coral reefs.
Before he rushes back to prepare for the big day, Santa has one final reminder: Keep being kind to one another and helping one another, and remember to get plenty of sleep so you’re ready for Christmas morning.
Elf Town — featuring Santa, real reindeer and Ireland’s most spectacular Christmas sets — is open now at the RDS Dublin and at Galway Racecourse. Tickets and payment plans are available at elftown.ie.
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